


What It Feels Like to Fall (in Love) - The Owl House Icarus Falls AU

by sylkiin



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greece & Rome, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Angst, Burns, Character Death, F/F, Help, Hurt without the comfort, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Major Character Injury, Please Don't Hate Me, Please Don't Kill Me, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Sad Ending, i'm sorry i don't update this often, listen to the songs for each chapter to set the mood, no beta we die like men, this is my first fanfic idk what i'm doing, wow this much angst are you sure?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26688994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylkiin/pseuds/sylkiin
Summary: Lilith and Amity have been held prisoner in a labyrinth of their own genius creation by King Belos for months. Finally, they attempt to escape by building wings for themselves and flying across the ocean. All would've gone as planned, that is, if Amity didn't happen to have fallen in love with the one person she isn't allowed to love.
Relationships: Amity Blight & Luz Noceda, Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Boscha & Willow Park, Boscha/Willow Park
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	1. Following the Devil's Descend

**Author's Note:**

> This AU does not belong to me! It belongs to @/nikuman_02 on Instagram and Twitter. Go check her out please! She is extremely talented and her art is amazing! The story is based off of the Greek myth of the Minotaur and Icarus and Daedalus. I didn’t follow it strictly so it would match better with the Owl House and its characters. If you aren’t familiar with the myths you’ll still be able to follow along just fine, though I do recommend looking them up. There are a lot of simple plot summaries on Wikipedia and such. I’ll be jumping around in the timeline a bit, so sorry if it gets a bit confusing! Also, they are all human in this story (or at least for the most part.) This is my first fanfic, so please be kind! Enjoy :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter is Willow Tree March by the Paper Kites

“Are you sure this will work?” Amity asked as she glanced at her wings with uncertainty. They were hastily made with the branches of osier and feathers from the sea birds that often circled around their prison. Since they had few resources to work with and had to keep the wings hidden most of the time, they were delicately held together with melted candle wax. This wouldn’t be Amity’s first time using the wings, but it was especially windy today, and she was anxious about being caught. The wind caused waves to roar up, crashing against the cliff face below them. Amity swore she could almost feel the tower shake with the power of the blow. 

Amity could feel a soft gaze land on her as her mentor, Lilith, looked up from her own wings. Walking over to Amity, Lilith made sure to check her wings and adjust them one last time before they were to leave. Amity saw that Lilith’s hands were slightly shaking. When Lilith saw Amity staring at her hands, she abruptly closed her hands into fists to stop the shaking. Taking a deep breath, Lilith unclenched her hands and took Amity’s face in her hands.

“Don’t be nervous,” Lilith said gently. She forced a small smile. “Just do as we’ve practiced. Let the wind carry you and try not to waste too much energy on flapping harder than needed. Stay low enough so we won’t be spotted, but not-”

“Not too low to the sea, or else the feathers will get soaked and drag me down, but also not too high, or else the sun will melt the wax,” Amity finished for her. Amity’s voice lowered a bit at the mention of the sun, and she let her gaze wander to look out the window. “I know what to do. I promise I’m ready,” she quickly added on before Lilith would realize anything. Lilith smiled sweetly and ran a hand through Amity’s hair, not taking notice to the girl’s change in tone.

“That’s right, and I don’t doubt you for a second. I’m just…” Lilith trailed off. She didn’t want to lie to her apprentice, but she also didn’t want to share her worries with her either. Letting Amity know she was scared was a risk Lilith wasn’t ready to take right now. They were already taking a huge risk as is. She sighed.

“I’m just making sure,” she finally decided on. It sounded wrong to say, but she was too tired to come up with another excuse. She had not slept the night before. As much as she wished she could curl up and sleep and wait for tomorrow to escape, Lilith knew they wouldn’t have another chance after today. The wind was the strongest it has been in weeks, just as Lilith had calculated, and the rising sun shone bright. Hopefully its light would blind the guards if they looked up and spotted them escaping. Lilith had debated going at night, but she needed the sun to be able to spot the nearest island and head directly towards. They couldn’t waste any time in their flight, or else they would risk death.

Lilith lost her train of thought and she heard Amity shuffling towards the window, careful not to hit her wings on anything. Amity made her way into the open, standing with her toes hanging slightly off the ledge. The wind caused hair to whip around the girl’s face, threatening to pull her off the tower. The water below her climbed up the side of the cliff, trying to reach for her and drag her into its depths. Amity swallowed the worry making its way up her throat and slowly spread her wings. Lilith watched her and sighed. If angels were real, this is what Lilith would picture them to look like. 

Glancing back one last time at what had been her prison for countless months, Lilith stepped forward and took her place on the window ledge next to Amity. Amity looked up to meet Lilith’s eyes, which were no longer filled with the fear and anxiety she had mere seconds ago. They were hard and determined, silently telling Amity that it was time. All that Amity could do in response was to look up to the horizon, ignoring the black sea below her. 

“Do as I say and follow close behind me,” Lilith commanded Amity. She was met with a stern nod. Taking a deep breath, they both spread their makeshift wings and then, without saying a word, stepped off of the ledge.


	2. Make Me My Own Seventh Circle or You'll End Up in the Ninth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you started to wonder why and who Lilith and Amity need to escape from? Well, here's the beginning of the story...  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter is Bird Song by Florence + the Machine

Roars and growls echoed loudly through the large throne room. Flapping from the creatures’ wings caused the torches to flicker and shadows to constantly appear to have a mind of their own. Each sound made Lilith cringe more. She didn’t want anyone to see Eda this way, to see her as this _thing_. Eda wasn’t herself right now, but Lilith knew that wouldn’t matter to King Belos. He would only see her as the Owl Beast, and he’ll want to send her away, to lock her up. Lilith tried to shush Eda and calm her down, but she was only met with even louder roars as the Owl Beast struggled against the chains holding it down.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang as the double doors were thrown open. Lilith immediately turned her attention to who was entering the room. Two guards stood on either side of the entrance, holding the doors open. More flooded in until eventually a tall figure strolled in, accompanied by a short woman with bright red hair and in a white and gold robe. A powerful aura surrounded him, so powerful it was enough to send a shiver down Lilith’s spine. She quickly got on her knees and bowed down as he took his time making his way to the Owl Beast. A golden mask shaped like a bird hid his face from view. Adorning his broad shoulders was a brown and gold chest piece marked with large golden studs and a circular plaque with the symbol of his kingdom. A white cape made from the finest silk hung from his shoulders and dragged on the ground behind him, yet never seemed to have lost its beautiful bright gleam. Covering the rest of his torso and hiding his legs from view was a dark robe.

The newcomer paused as he passed the Owl Beast. It snarled and tried to lunge at him, only to be restricted by the chains holding it down. Lilith held her breath as his inhumanly blue eyes glanced over the Owl Beast thoughtfully before slowly continuing to his throne. Stuck in her awkward bow, Lilith impatiently waited for him to sit down so she could rise. He purposefully took his time to let everyone know he was the one who commanded the situation and that he was the one who had control over the ones around him. Finally, after much dallying, he made his way to his throne and gracefully sat down.

“Rise,” he said. His voice was barely above a whisper, but it still held enough power to echo and boom throughout the vast chamber. It was certainly powerful enough to shake Lilith up slightly as she rose, nearly stumbling on her own robe. She hoped the masked man wouldn’t realize, but when she looked up to meet his eyes, she saw they were staring right at her. Although she couldn’t see his face, she could almost swear she saw him smile.

“King Belos, Your Highness,” she managed to cough out, praying he would not notice how her voice wavered. “I was hoping you would-”

“I would prefer if we skipped the pleasantries, _Lilith_ ,” he interrupted, spitting out her name like it was sour wine, “and instead deal with the issue at hand.” He motioned at the Owl Beast, who was still fighting against its restraints, although her struggle had weakened. He got up from his throne and waved for his staff. The redheaded woman who had accompanied Belos quickly appeared by his side with the long wooden piece. It was carved from an olive tree and had small intricate designs that ran along the whole staff. Lilith could remember spending hours smoothing it down with sandpaper until her hands were raw.

The king walked over to where the Owl Beast lay and used the long stick to inspect it. It tried to hit it away and bite it, to which he responded with motioning to the guards to grab more chains and pin it down so it could barely even move its head. All the Owl Beast could do now was let out a low growl. Belos crouched down and looked over it until he was satisfied, and then slowly made his way over to Lilith. Lilith tried to hold her breath steady as he continued to get closer to her until he was standing mere inches away from her face. Fighting the urge to cower in his shadow, Lilith kept her eyes focused on the Owl Beast as he handed his staff back to the woman.

“How long have you kept this secret from me?” he asked slowly, his voice barely audible. Lilith felt her hands start to shake and sweat run down her neck.

“I- I just didn’t know how to tell you, I just wanted to keep Eda safe-”

“I ASKED YOU, HOW LONG HAVE YOU KEPT THIS SECRET FROM ME?” he bellowed. Lilith stumbled back in shock at the volume of his voice, tripping and falling down. Fear overtook her as she lay before him, trembling from head to toe.

“She’s been like this since we were little. She- she’d turn into it sometimes, but it would only be temporary and she’d always turn back. I didn’t know it would- it would become permanent!” Lilith gasped out, looking at the dangerous look in the king’s eyes. She was afraid of what he would do to her if she lied to him.

Seeming to be satisfied with the answer she gave him, Belos turned and made his way to where the woman was standing. “Kikimora, do help Lilith get up, and then get a messenger to fetch her apprentice. Tell her parents that she will be staying with us for a while,” he said, all the anger drained from his voice. Kikimora nodded curtly and made her way over to Lilith. Her face was painted into a sneer as she held out a hand to the raven-haired woman. Lilith glared at the ginger and swiftly stood up and brushed off her robe. Turning her attention back to the king, Lilith looked at him as he continued to observe the Owl Beast.

“What part does my apprentice play in this, Your Highness?” she inquired carefully, hoping that he would not lose his temper at her again. He looked at her and let out a low chuckle. Lilith tensed up at the unexpected sound.

“You are going to be designing and building something for me, and as your apprentice, I deem it appropriate for the young Blight to work on it alongside you,” he answered. Lilith swallowed nervously. Debating whether or not she was ready to know exactly what she was expected to build, she licked her lips and glanced over at the Owl Beast laying on the ground. It looked so weak, so vulnerable, quite in contrast to how terrifying it had seemed when Lilith had first seen Eda transform into the feathery creature.

Weighing out her options, Lilith took a deep breath and silently prayed. “What do you wish for me to build, King Belos?” she asked carefully, but the second she saw the look in the king’s eyes, she regretted asking.

“You are to build a labyrinth so complex that not even you, its creator, will be able to escape it once inside. It will serve as a prison for the Owl Beast and for whoever or whatever else I see fit,” he told her. Lilith gasped. Despite how monotonous he attempted to keep his voice, Lilith was still able to detect what she almost thought was glee in his tone. She stared at him, horrified at what she would be required to do.

“I- I simply can’t!” she cried. “Eda is my sister! You can’t expect me to trap her in there! She’ll surely starve, and I’ll never be able to see her again, and- and…” Lilith struggled to find the right words to argue against Belos’ plans. She started to panic, fretting with her robe and her hair as all that could make its way out of her mouth were estranged sounds. Belos looked down at her with what was almost pity, but she knew that deep down he felt none.

He stood and strolled over to her. His eyes were filled with malice when they met hers. Lilith looked away from the king, not wanting to have to face him. Somewhere off to the side, she swore she could hear what was a poorly muffled snicker from Kikimora. The Owl Beast let out one last quiet whimper as it felt the shift in energies in the room.

Carefully taking Lilith’s face in a gloved hand, Belos forced her to look at him. He leaned down to her level and pressed his mask against her ear. The cold metal caused Lilith to shiver and tense her shoulders.

“Oh, but you will,” he said in a sickly sweet voice, slowly moving his hand downwards to press against her neck, “because if you don’t, I will make sure to strip you of your rank and banish you to the streets.” His grip tightened, causing Lilith to gasp. “I will also make sure to put a handsome reward for anyone who brings me your head, or any body part of yours that remains after they are done with you.” He leaned back and removed his hand from her face, causing Lilith’s knees to give out without the king holding her up. Struggling to breath, Lilith looked up fearfully as Belos returned to his throne.

“Now that it seems we have agreed to go forward with this plan, Kikimora can lead you to the guest room where you will be staying,” Belos said, his voice uncharacteristically joyful. “Make sure to also give her your apprentice’s information so she can be summoned to my castle as soon as possible. I don’t wish for there to be any delays on this project.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Lilith said in a hoarse voice, slowly making standing back.

“I will make sure you and your apprentice will have as many supplies as you need. If you need anything or have any requests, you are to contact Kikimora,” Belos continued. Lilith nodded absently, looking over with concern at the Owl Beast. It lay there, still, watching her intently. Feeling shame and guilt start to manifest inside her, Lilith looked away from the Owl Beast. _I am so sorry, sister_ , she silently tried to tell Eda, if she was still inside there somewhere. Belos motioned with his hand, and guards surged forward to surround the Owl Beast. One of them quickly fed it liquid from a small vial before it could attack them, causing the Owl Beast to cease all its struggles and close its eyes. The king watched the guards carefully as they proceeded to move the Owl Beast onto a small cart to be transported down to the dungeons where it would be held until the labyrinth was finished. Lilith still refused to look up at the Owl Beast as it was pulled out of the throne room.

King Belos smiled under his mask and regarded Lilith as her emotions waged war inside her head. While he enjoyed seeing her submit to his control and having her right where she needed to be, he was impatient to get the project started. He cleared his throat to get her attention, causing her to jump a little.

“Yes, Your Highness?” Lilith said tentatively, trying to hide the concern for Eda in her voice. Belos motioned to follow Kikimora, who had already made her way to the double door at the entrance to the chamber.

“Do make sure you get moving along now,” he said, using his sickly sweet voice again. Lilith shivered, but nodded in reply. She slowly made her way to the door and left the room with Kikimora.

Waiting until he could no longer hear their footsteps against the marble floor, Belos regarded the spot where the Owl Beast had been standing. Laying on the polished ground was a single gray feather. Standing up and slowly making his way over to the feather, he removed a singular glove from his hand. The king picked up the feather and carefully turned it over in his hand, inspecting it thoughtfully. Giving the feather one last look, he quickly put the glove back on his hand before strolling over to one of the many torches that lined the walls. He held out the feather to the hungry flame and watched as it was devoured by the fire, almost like a small bird being burned by the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a few years in the past (probably like 4 or 5, but I don't know for sure). Every chapter will switch between the present and the past. This part is based off of the myth of the minotaur (or at least part of it. If you know the myth, you know which part I'm skipping and for good reason). Eda still has the curse, but in this story they don't know why she has it and Lilith didn't curse her. If you get the reference I'm making in the chapter titles you are my absolute favourite person (and it won't even be close to the last time I make a reference to the same thing). Anyways, enjoy, and if you can, leaving feedback would be appreciated!


	3. To Paradiso (And Maybe Inferno, Too)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilith and Amity begin their escape from the tower, but they don't escaped unseen...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the present we go! And yes yes, here's a taste of your Lumity or whatever.  
> Song for the chapter is Arrow Flight by Boy & Bear (Is it a pun? Perhaps. Does the song still match? Absolutely.)

The wind tore at Amity’s wings, threatening to rip them clean off her back. She tried to gain control of them as the ocean drew dangerously closer. The crashing of waves and the sound of the air whipping past Amity meant she couldn’t hear Lilith yelling instructions at her. For a split second, Amity started to panic as she realized that maybe all of her training and practice and all the time spent on planning their escape would’ve been useless. Holding her breath and refusing to let her worries get the best of her, Amity blocked out the panic and intrusive thoughts and fought to get the wind to work to her advantage. Rotating her body in midair, she managed to lay parallel with the waves below her and use all of her strength to gain control of her wings. Suddenly she felt someone grab her clothes and pull her up. Amity looked up to see Lilith had been the one to help her. The unexpected assistance gave Amity enough time to finally straighten out her wings. She immediately felt the wind push against their undersides and propel her upwards, causing her to teeter a bit before steadying her flight. Looking beside her, she saw that Lilith struggled to regain her balance as well, it having been disrupted when she had saved Amity from plunging into the sea.

Finding their rhythm and getting comfortable in the air, they both started to relax as they let the strong gusts and muscle memory guide them past the docks below them. Guards looked up in shock at the sight of them. Many even started screaming, some about how they were demons defying the order in the world by breaking the limits of humans and taking flight for the first time. Amity couldn’t help but laugh a bit at their surprise and nonsense. This was probably the best she’d ever felt in her life. Flying during the day felt so much better than at night where they had to sneak around. She could finally let herself feel the wind tearing her hair out of its neat half ponytail. Her clothes whipped wildly around her, and she felt so powerful with her wings. Swooping high and low, she let herself lose all sense as she just took in the exhilarating experience of flying. No, this was more than just being able to fly. She had done it countless times, and it became nothing more than a chore. But this wasn’t normal flying.

This was being  _ free _ .

More laughter escaped her mouth as she let herself forget about everything. To Amity right now, there was no more labyrinth, there was no more King Belos, there was no more Owl Beast. There was only the sky above her, the sea below her, and the wind carrying her. Gazing upwards, she watched as the sun continued to rise above the horizon. Once her eyes landed on the sun, she felt her whole chest and face warm up and butterflies started to try to break free from her stomach. She instinctively started to fly higher, but was quickly stopped by a desperate yell that could barely be heard over the wind and waves.

“Amity!” Lilith called. Her voice was thick with worry, and Amity saw the nervousness was reflected in her posture as well when she finally spotted Lilith. She felt guilt make its way up her throat when she realized she hadn’t done what Lilith had asked of her.

“Please, stay close! I don’t want to lose you!” Lilith yelled over to her. Amity replied by simply aligning herself with the other pale woman, fighting the urge to break control and let herself feel the freedom again. 

Lilith quickly smiled at her once they were aligned again before focusing her attention on the guards below them. They had hurriedly sounded the alarm while Amity was distracted and were sending out boats to catch up with them. They were assorted shades of gold and brown with hints of white, the colours of the kingdom. Beautiful white sails made travel easy, the wind moving the boats forward with ease. Loaded with bows and various other weapons, it made it clear that they were shooting to kill, not maim. Lilith’s eyebrows furrowed as she beat her wings harder, attempting to fly out of their range. Amity struggled to follow, as she already had used up quite a bit of her energy earlier when she had carelessly swooped high and low. Pushing herself to keep up with Lilith, Amity strained her muscles and put all of her strength into each flap. Just as she was about to reach Lilith above her, she felt something wrap itself around her ankle and dig itself into her foot. Amity cried out in pain as it pulled her downwards towards one of the king’s ships. 

“Lilith! Help!” Amity screamed. She tried to fight the pull, but she wasn’t strong enough to loosen the grip on her. Multiple guards on the ship now were grabbing the rope and pulling hard on it. Lilith tried to fly down and grab Amity, but more arrows were being shot up at the duo, with Lilith barely being able to dodge most of them. One of the arrows grazed Lilith’s side, causing her to double over and her wings to falter for a moment. Using her moment of vulnerability to their advantage, the guards launched more ropes towards Lilith, trying to get a hold on her. Not letting her injury drag her down, Lilith quickly bounced back into action, ignoring the pain for now. Now prepared for their attacks, Lilith stood ready. Launching arrow after arrow at her, Lilith dodged them all and even managed to catch some. Taking the caught arrows, she used them to launch them back at the guards, tearing sails and snapping ropes. However, she still could not get low enough to make her way to Amity so she could free her. Amity looked on nervously as she felt the pull on her leg intensify.

“We might not be able to get the king’s old inventor, but we can at least get the girl for leverage!” one of the guards, who Amity assumed to be the commander, yelled at the others. At the sound of that, Amity continued to struggle harder to no avail. She was now dangerously close to the roaring waves and the king’s ships, with no sign of Lilith being able to assist her any time soon. 

As Amity started to feel droplets from the ocean spray her leg, she closed her eyes, scared of what might happen next. Letting her world go dark as she silently apologized to Lilith, she ceased the beating of her wings and let herself be dragged down onto the boat.

Expecting to hit the hard deck of the boat or the cold surface of the water, Amity was surprised when instead she felt warmth surround her and the hook in her leg loosen and fall away. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked up to meet a set of dark auburn eyes with a fiery red tint to them. Holding Amity were a pair of orange and yellow arms that were both unbearably hot yet soothingly warm at the same time. Bright amber hair like a small campfire sat atop the head of Amity’s saviour. Amity looked up, speechless, before she remembered the situation they were in. Looking over an orange shoulder, she gazed below her to see the king’s ships were on fire. Lilith was gliding far above the ships, safe and away from harm. Amity breathed out a sigh of relief before bringing her attention back to the person - if this even  _ was _ a person - who had saved them. Before she could even say a word, the minute she made eye contact again with her hero, she felt all the heat make its way to her cheeks and her heart rate double, no,  _ triple _ when she processed who this was. Amity’s shocked smile was enough to give away her surprise to the fire spirit, who gave her the most endearing and almost smug smile.

“Luz?” Amity finally choked out. The other girl chuckled and her smile widened. 

“Hello, Amity. I’ve missed you.”


	4. Dante Wasn’t the Only One Who Willingly Entered Inferno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the past, the labyrinth has been completed for a short while now, and King Belos holds a meeting with Lilith and her young apprentice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Character development for characters we know barely anything about in the show? I think it is.  
> Song for this chapter is Dance With the Devil by Breaking Benjamin and/or Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles (I couldn't really find a good song, so this is the closest I got. Eleanor Rigby points to Kikimora and Lilith, while Dance With the Devil goes with Lilith and Kikimora's view of Belos.)

The labyrinth had been built at the cost of hundreds of lives, thousand of materials, and millions of sleepless hours. But to the king’s eyes, the cost was nothing compared to what had finally been achieved. A wondrous maze, stretching for countless miles, rose from the ground, parts of it even concealed underground below the ignorant feet of the people. Mighty stone walls lined with carvings depicting the horrors found within the labyrinth kept the people fearful of the building, and most importantly, kept them away. While it was common knowledge there was a maze, only a select few who worked on it knew how far it actually stretched, or even where the entrance was. King Belos had made sure anyone not worthy of knowing the secrets of the labyrinth were...effectively dealt with. 

He sat imposingly on his throne, which he had replaced once the labyrinth was completed to resemble it. While it wasn’t the most comfortable, he didn’t let on to anyone, even Kikimora, of the fault of the chair. He combated the feelings of soreness with thoughts that one should never be too comfortable as a ruler, as anyone could pose a threat to him, he should always be on edge, ready to defend his position. He tried to convince himself that would need to be the reason, despite him knowing no one could ever stand a chance at dethroning him. Shifting quietly at this thought, he looked down at the short woman standing next to him. Feeling his gaze on her, she looked up at him in apprehension.

“Yes, my Lord?” she said. King Belos looked up at the door and inspected the guards standing beside it. His fingers twitched ever so slightly.

“I had summoned Lilith to meet me, but she is yet to arrive,” he stated. Kikimora tensed. She was able to sense a bit of irritation in his voice.

“She was busy with her apprentice. I believe she won’t be able to meet you today, King Belos,” she replied tentatively. Letting her gaze rest on his hand, she swallowed as she saw Belos’ fingers twitch again.

“And _I_ don’t believe that was a question, Kikimora.” Belos had leaned down on his throne, his head now level with Kikimora. Forcing herself not to take a step back, Kikimora quickly looked down. Belos, sensing her submission to him, sat straight up in his throne again, letting his eyes rest easily on the door. He motioned to a guard, who came trotting over before kneeling before the king, awaiting their commands.

“Go fetch Lilith and her apprentice from their study,” Belos ordered. The guard nodded and ran off into the vast castle.

While they waited impatiently for Lilith’s arrival, the king tapped his fingers rhythmically on the throne’s stone armrest. Kikimora stood still, relieved that she would no longer be the one to be at mercy of Belos once Lilith came. She made a mental note to be even worse than usual to Lilith so the taller woman wouldn’t suspect even the king’s assistant was just as ridiculed by him as everyone else.

Quiet, quick footsteps slowly got louder as the guard returned with both Lilith and Amity. Lilith wore her usual dark dress, while her apprentice wore a black shirt with magenta leggings. Amity fidgeted with a pink crystal that hung from a simple black rope tied loosely around her neck. Almost hiding behind her mentor, she kept her gaze fixed on the ground in front of her.

Belos watched the young girl thoughtfully. He hadn’t bothered himself with her much, meeting only with Lilith when he required something from the inventor. From what he had heard about the girl’s skills and intelligence, he had expected more than the nervous apprentice in front of him. He continued to inspect Amity until Lilith’s thin figure blocked his view. She had moved in front of her protégé once she had realized the king was inspecting Amity. Belos’ fingers twitched again.

“How nice of you to finally join us, Lilith, Miss Blight,” he said. He saw Amity tense up and gasp a little at him saying her name. Seeing Lilith taking Amity’s small shaking hand in her own, Belos narrowed his eyes slightly. 

“I apologize, King Belos, I was busy with Amity’s lessons, and I simply lost track of time,” Lilith quickly said, gripping Amity’s hand tighter. A bemused look made its way across the king’s hidden face as he looked over them again.

“Ah, I see. No worries, then.” He leaned back in his chair. Lilith’s brows furrowed, confused at his sudden change of character. 

“Your Highness,” Lilith asked carefully, “is there something you need?”

Belos smiled wickedly under his mask. “No, not at all. Though, Miss Blight, why don’t you tell me what you learned today?” He leaned forward, an almost predatory look in his eyes. Lilith took a step in front of Amity.

“We worked on-” Lilith began.

“I don’t believe I asked you, Lilith,” the king sneered. Lilith felt Amity’s hand start to shake even more as she seethed at Belos. Leaning down to Amity’s level, Lilith whispered in the girl’s ear.

“It’s okay. Just be honest with him, and keep it short.” Her apprentice nodded a bit before looking up at the king. His head rested on one of his hands as the other tapped against his throne. Amity took in a deep breath, trying to not let the king intimidate and toy with her any longer.

“We worked on calculating the mass and weight of different elements, as well as working on learning how to design stable structures, such as the labyrinth,” Amity said. She hoped he couldn’t hear how her voice wavered.

The king sat back up straight, seemingly satisfied with the answer. “That sounds splendid, Miss Blight. I am glad that you are able to learn so much from Miss Clawthorne,” he said, his voice going up by an octave as he spoke to her. Amity nodded quickly.

“Yes, she is a wonderful teacher,” she agreed.

“It is refreshing to hear that Miss Clawthorne is able to complete at least one job adequately,” Belos jabbed. Lilith balled up her fists.

“I am quite able, Your Highness, thank you very much,” Lilith said, careful to not let the anger slip out. Belos gripped the arm of his throne, but said nothing. Lilith knew he wouldn’t do anything to her while in the presence of her apprentice.

All throughout the discussion, Kikimora had kept an eye on Lilith. She knew the other woman feared Belos as much as she did, but risked more than Kikimora ever would. She respected Lilith’s bravery for talking back to the king, but she knew once the young Blight left, the king would not hesitate to threaten and punish Lilith.

King Belos cleared his throat, shocking all three women from their thoughts. “You are excused, Miss Blight. You are dismissed from the rest of your classes today and may rest in your chambers,” Belos said.

“That is not for you to decide,” Lilith interjected. Amity trembled as she felt Lilith’s grasp on her tighten. As much as she trusted Lilith, she didn’t want her mentor to go against the king, especially on her behalf.

Belos wrinkled his nose at her and glared. “I am the king, aren’t I? My word is law. And as the king, I order that your protégé has no classes for the rest of the day, and the extra time should be spent in her chambers.” As he talked, he had stood up from his throne, making him seem even larger and more intimidating than before. Amity let out a small squeak before gripping Lilith’s arm.

“Please don’t argue with him. I don’t mind being alone. I can just work more on what we did today by myself,” Amity said quietly to Lilith. She looked back and forth between the king and her apprentice before letting her shoulders sink down and sighing.

“Alright,” Lilith said in defeat. She let go of Amity’s hand and mentioned for her to leave. She started to follow the green-haired girl before she was stopped by Belos.

“Lilith, do stay. We are not done yet,” he said to her. Lilith tensed, and Amity glanced back at her, her brows furrowed. Not wanting to worry her apprentice, Lilith forced a small smile.

“Go on, Amity, I’ll be right there,” she whispered. Amity nodded before quickly making her way out of the throne room and to their study to collect her work.

As the king watched the girl leave, Kikimora kept an eye on Lilith, watching her as she smoothed down her dark hair before looking up at the king. He had gotten up from his throne and ran his fingers along the side of it.

“Do you know what time of the month it is, Lilith?” he asked. Lilith stiffened a bit and shook her head. Belos looked out the singular window in the room, which gave him a striking view of part of the labyrinth.

“The Owl Beast must be fed,” he told her. Looking down at her feet, Lilith clenched her jaw, uncomfortable at the mention of her sister's transformed look.

“This month, instead of going through the trouble of picking out subjects deserving of death, someone volunteered to go into the labyrinth,” Belos continued as he stepped down from the pedestal that his throne sat on to pace. “Isn’t that interesting? A princess from a neighbouring kingdom, no less. I’ve never heard of someone who willingly wishes to enter my labyrinth.” Belos paused, glancing at Lilith with a bit of a glint in his eyes. “I heard she vows to slay Eda,” he slowly remarked.

Lilith’s eyes widened as she stifled a gasp. The king had never called Eda by her name ever since the curse completely too over her body. He had only referred to her as the Owl Beast.

Smiling at Lilith’s reaction, Belos returned to his seat. 

“Of course, that would be impossible for anyone to do, even the most skilled warrior,” he continued, pretending to not notice Lilith’s estranged state. “I say good riddance if the beast finally does die,” he said, deciding to dig deeper with the knife. “I don’t need a kingdom waging war with us if their champion fighter were to die in my hands, don’t you agree, Lilith?”

At a loss for words, Lilith couldn’t manage to get anything out. While she felt immense guilt for the ones who were killed by the beast, she also did not want the Owl Beast, and what little was left of Eda, to die. All she could do was weakly nod as Belos watched her. 

Meanwhile, Kikimora was shocked at the king’s words. While Lilith had defied his orders, this was cruel, even for him. All she could do was stand awkwardly and hope she would soon be excused from this.

A long, uncomfortable silence stretched out between the three of them. Lilith struggled with the information given to her and her conflicting thoughts over the situation as Belos did nothing more than gaze out at his labyrinth. Finally, he waved his hand.

“You are dismissed, Lilith,” he said. Lilith nodded weakly again before kneeling in front of him. Her legs feeling like lead, she almost wasn’t able to get back up and walk out. Kikimora watched her leave.

Silence surrounded them once more, only for it to be broken by a long sigh from Belos.

“Kikimora, do make sure everything is organized for the feeding tomorrow,” he commanded. 

“Yes, my Lord,” she answered, making her way to the door. As she made it to the entrance, she glanced back at the king, only to find him looking out the window, transfixed by the horrors he created. Kikimora shivered, horrified at the man she worked for. She wished she could leave, that she could escape Belos, but she knew deep down she never could, or else she would just become another poor soul consumed by his creations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this chapter and the next one were going to be one, but then it turned out it was wayyyyyy too long, so I separated them into two. The next chapter will also be in the past then, taking place right after this chapter.  
> I'm sorry for my super irregular posting schedule, but I'm trying to post as often as I can and write when I can. I'm trying as hard as I can to make sure the times between posts aren't too long.  
> Anyways, thank you as always for reading! Also I want to know if anyone has a guess who the princess is, and to what I'm referring to with the chapter titles. If you do, please comment! I like hearing from you guys :)


	5. A Little Help From Good Old Virgil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still in the past, Amity receives an unexpected visitor, begging for help in hopes to save the princess from her doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs for this chapter are Broken Crown by Mumford and Sons and Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos

It was only a short while until Amity heard the sound of Lilith’s footsteps sound out as she returned to her room adjacent to the young protégé’s chambers. They were slow, Lilith’s feet dragging rather than moving with their usual pep and articulation. Amity winced at this realization, worrying that the king might’ve done something to her mentor. By instinct, she got up from her seat and made her way to the door, only to pause before turning the handle. Only then did she remember Belos’ order that she stay in her chambers, and she didn’t dare even attempt to defy him in any way. She feared that if she did anything out of line she would lose her apprenticeship and be banished back home. As much as she worried for Lilith in the moment, she knew that it wouldn’t do anyone any good if she was caught sneaking out and then sent home.

Walking back to her desk with her head hanging in defeat, Amity looked down at her work. She had finished everything a while ago, so she had resorted to doing the same problems over and over again, using different methods each time to solve the equations. Sweeping her hand across the desk in frustration, the papers scattering all over the room. She huffed and clenched her fists as she glared at the mess in front of her. Amity sighed and began to pick up the papers and put them away, ignoring her stomach as it twisted in on itself in worry. After she stacked her papers and put them on the desk, Amity made her way over to her bed and flopped down on it. She was exhausted, but the anxiety making its way up her throat didn’t let her rest at all. Groaning, she grabbed a pillow and covered her face with it, attempting to force herself to sleep. When that didn’t work, she grabbed a book that lay next to her bed, which happened to be the fifth book of _The Good Witch Azura._ She had already read it more times than she could count, though each time she picked it up again she found herself entranced. Though this time when she started to read it, she struggled to keep her eyes on the words as the letters seemed to float off the pages. Finally, she gave up all hope of distracting herself and let her thoughts dwell on what happened to Lilith. Before she could come to a reasonable conclusion, her door burst open, slamming against the wall with force.

Amity flung herself out her bed and grabbed the first thing she could to protect herself, which was none other than the book she had struggled to read a mere five minutes ago. However, in the doorway there was no intruder. Instead, Amity’s lady-in-waiting Willow stood with her hands on her knees and hunched over, gasping for breath. 

Willow’s circular glasses, designed by and made by Lilith herself, slipped off her nose, and she pushed them back up with a shaky finger. Amity dropped her book and rushed over to Willow’s side, concerned for the girl. 

“Willow, are you okay?” Amity inquired carefully as she waited for Willow’s breath to return to normal. Eventually her breathing steadied, and she stood up straight to look at the green-haired girl. 

“Yes, I’m fine, but there’s a huge problem!” she said, speaking so quickly Amity almost missed what she said. “This year for the Feeding, a princess from another kingdom is the sacrifice.”

Amity looked up in shock. Usually the king chose a peasant who had been accused of petty theft and he believed was leeching off of his kingdom or a criminal he wished to rid the world of. Someone who wasn’t guilty of crimes or disliked in the king’s eyes, especially royalty, being sacrificed was unheard of.

“A princess!” the apprentice marveled. “Is she a prisoner from an enemy kingdom?”

Willow shook her head. “She’s from one of the king’s allies. She’s…” Willow cut herself off, struggling to finish her sentence. “She’s volunteering to enter the labyrinth to slay the Owl Beast.”

Amity felt her breath hitch in her throat as she looked up to meet Willow’s eyes in disbelief. “You can’t be serious! No one has ever volunteered!” Amity exclaimed. “Where did you hear this from? Are you sure that it’s true?” Amity rocket fired more questions at the other girl, who held up her hands in defense.

“I heard some of the guards in charge of security at the Feeding tomorrow discussing it. I don’t know how it came to be or why the princess volunteered, but I know she’s convinced she can slay the beast. No one can stop her from going in either! She’s just too bone-headed.”

As Amity let the information sink in, she felt her heart rate go up as she realized the danger this princess would be in. 

“She can’t possibly go in! Even if she _can_ slay the Owl Beast, which is unlikely, she’ll never find her way back out! King Belos made sure all maps of the labyrinth were destroyed, so not even him or Lilith know the way out,” Amity told the shorter girl as she visibly panicked. 

“There has to be a way to get out!” Willow desperately cried. She was fidgeting with some loose strands of hair in frustration. Amity plopped down on her bed, her leg bouncing up and down ever so slightly as she racked her brain for any ideas to help the princess. Lilith had told her when they first built the labyrinth that there was a secret to finding one’s way back out, but she had been forced to keep it a secret.

“Why can you not tell me, Miss Clawthorne? I don’t have anyone to tell,” Amity had asked. She had been younger then, still naïve and innocent. They had only just finalized the blueprints for the labyrinth.

“The one purpose of the labyrinth is that no one can escape it,” she had replied. There was a thickness in her voice back then, one that was unmistakably littered with guilt and regret that she still carried on her shoulders to this day. “Not even King Belos knows this secret. It is one I will bring with me to my grave unless the Fates forbid me, though I do not carry it lightly. I wish to share it with you, dear, I really do, but it is something that I do not wish for you to have it weighing on your mind as it lays on mine.”

Though she had not understood the full intent of Lilith’s choices back then, she understood now the kind of mental strain and grief that her mentor had to live with daily knowing she could do something but was forbidden to. Amity sighed. Perhaps today would be the day the Fates would allow Lilith to be freed of that weight.

“There is a way,” Amity murmured quietly. Willow perked up, a tinge of hope sparkling in her eyes. “I don’t know it, but Lilith does. King Belos ordered me to stay in my chambers,” Amity continued, and Willow nodded, showing she knew of the king’s command, “so you will have to visit her and ask her yourself. I don’t know if she will tell you, but there’s at least a chance for something.”

Willow nodded again, though more absently, as she formulated a plan. Giving the other girl time to think, Amity simply let her gaze drift out her window, which faced the town that laid about a mile or so from the castle. The sun was setting. They were running out of time. The bouncing of her leg quickened ever so slightly.

After a moment of quiet, Willow snapped up her head and faced Amity’s work, which laid in an unorganized pile on her desk. Practically jumping off the bed, Willow grabbed the stack. She was just about to rush out the door when she paused, realizing she forgot to ask if she could borrow the papers. Amity gave her a quizzed look, to which Willow replied to with a rushed explanation.

“I’ll say you wanted me to bring your work over to Lilith to check so no one is suspicious of what I’m doing,” she explained. Amity made a small “oh” sound and nodded, understanding her plan. She gave her lady-in-waiting an affirming nod, and with that, Willow dashed out to make her way next door.

Letting her gaze shift back to the window, Amity gazed at the blood-red sky mixed with pink clouds hanging over the bustling village, restless in apprehension of the Feeding tomorrow. They were still unaware that the tribute was a volunteer, and a princess, no less. Amity thought about the miles of labyrinth that lay under the people’s feet and shuddered. For all she knew, the beast could be directly under the peaceful household or a market stand or small bakery, and the people above would have no idea of the creature that paced restlessly below. It was a thought that crossed her mind often, and one that caused her stomach to eat itself and her lungs to collapse inwards. _She_ had created this along with her mentor. _She,_ nor Lilith, would ever be able to redeem themselves from the horrors they brought to life. They would be forced to live as accomplices to King Belos’ crimes. Amity would never be able to escape the guilt that she was too young to understand would follow her when she agreed to assist with the project. It would manifest inside her until it either consumed her whole or until she became nothing more than a husk of who she once was.

And that terrified her.

* * *

Sneaking into Lilith’s chambers turned out to not be as challenging as Willow feared. Being right next door to Amity’s room definitely made it easier to access it. As Willow stood in front of the oak door with her hand prepared to knock, she glanced around and over her shoulder to make sure no guards were around. However, she was in luck, as most were currently position in the guest wing, where the brave yet also incredibly thick-skulled and stupid (or at least so thought Willow) princess was staying for the evening before she was sent off to her doom. Willow knocked, the sound of her knuckles hitting the door sounding out louder than she would wish. She heard quiet shuffling on the other side of the door before a worried-looking Lilith appeared before her. She was slightly hunched over with large bags under her eyes, which was an odd look for the proud woman. At the sight of the younger girl, Lilith straightened her back and smoothed out her hair, attempting to at least appear presentable. Willow felt a pang of sympathy for the raven-haired women before she remembered the issue she needed to address.

“Good evening, Miss Clawthorne,” Willow stuttered out. She held out her papers with shaking hands. “I have work from Amity that she wanted to give to you. Could I come in real quick to relay her message for you?”

Lilith gave her a dubious look, not believing the younger girl, but still stepped aside to let her in. Willow hurried inside the large chamber, which was easily at least three times bigger than her own. A large, beautifully carved desk was pressed against one side of the room with blueprints and equations laying in disorganized piles across the desk with even more hanging from a pegboard. Bookshelves lined all available open walls, with books ordered neatly by genre and alphabet. Lilith’s bed was shoved snuggly into a corner, as if sleep was unimportant and an afterthought to her. Willow had been in Lilith’s room before, of course, but each time she entered it it seemed to be different each time, with more papers and books flooding her eyesight. 

The door shut quietly behind Willow as Lilith entered behind her. Willow jumped a bit at the sound, shocking herself out of her thoughts. 

“I apologize for the mess, Willow, I have been a little...stressed lately,” Lilith said hesitantly. Willow simply nodded in return.

“Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me? I highly doubt Amity sent you over to have me check this work.” Willow stiffened a bit, but then reminded herself that it should be expected that Lilith predicted her true intentions. She sighed and licked her lips, trying her best to decide how to lay out the problem for her.

“It’s about the tribute, I mean, the volunteer tomorrow,” Willow began. This time, it was Lilith’s turn to stiffen. The older women opened her mouth to interject, but Willow quickly continued before she could say anything. 

“I don’t want her to die, Miss Clawthorne, or anyone else, for that matter. It’s been a horrifying few years of fear and terror ever since the labyrinth has been completed.” Lilith’s face flushed in shame, and she tilted her head away from Willow so the short girl wouldn’t see. Willow took a deep breath before finally telling Lilith why she was actually there.

“I have my doubts about her slaying the Owl Beast, and even if she does, she won’t be able to make her way out. Amity told me you know the secret to escaping the labyrinth…” Willow slowly trailed off as she saw Lilith’s fists clench ever so slightly.

“I refuse to help someone who plans on murdering my sister,” Lilith hissed. Her voice was thick with tears. Willow felt her body start to shake.

“Your sister has been murdering people for years!” Willow yelled at Lilith, no longer attempting to hide her worry and rage. “I don’t want more people to die! She needs to be stopped!”

“Leave,” Lilith whispered. Her voice was weak, barely audible over the sound of her heartbeat causing her ears to throb.

“What?” Willow said, too lost in her own rage to be able to hear Lilith.

“I said LEAVE!” Lilith yelled at her as the first tear finally slipped out of the corner of her eye. Willow stumbled back in surprise as she quickly tried to head out of the door. The older woman’s body was tense all over, with grief being masked into pure rage. Willow had never seen her like this, nor had Amity ever told her about a time Lilith acted like this as well. Willow ran out of the room and down the hallway, her feet pounding against the floor. In her rush, she had forgotten to inform Amity of the interaction and forgot the protégé’s papers in Lilith’s chambers. 

Willow didn’t stop running until she found herself outside, standing by one of the many walls of the labyrinth. She stood for a moment with her hands on her knees, attempting to catch her breath. The town was silent now, the setting of the sun marking the end of the day as people rested uneasily in fear of being chosen as a tribute, unaware that this year there would be none. Willow gazed up at the moon, which illuminated the ground in front of her, and in the silence of the night, she swore she could hear the roar of the hungry beast that was harboured inside the stone walls.

* * *

Inside the castle, the rooms were quiet as most of the people inside slept. Lilith, however, was not of those fortunate individuals. She stared at nothing in particular as she sat at the edge of her bed with a small framed picture in hand. It was a photo of her and Eda as teenagers, both of them still sporting their frizzy orange hair. Eda’s curse hadn’t taken root yet, though Lilith knew that even if they knew of it then, there was nothing that could’ve been done. The curse was a result of magic, dark magic that no sorcerer or doctor could trace back to. While Lilith had selfishly been thankful for it back then, as it had secured her the place as the king’s chief engineer, a place that was rightfully Eda’s, Lilith wished with all her heart that there was a cure for her poor sister. She had to bear witness as the curse took away more of her each day, turning her hair gray and her skin paler than the moon. When Eda had first turned into the beast, it was Lilith who had been there for her, who had comforted her and hid it from their parents and the king. Now it was also Lilith who had trapped her to live out a fate worse than death in the labyrinth far below.

Forcing herself out of her trance, Lilith stood up and walked over to place the picture carefully back into a drawer in her desk. Next to it lay a simple, round object that was none other than the secret to escaping the maze. There were millions of it in the world, yet no one would ever think of using it. She reached out for it, feeling the guilt consume her again over her outburst at Amity’s only friend. Gingerly brushing her fingers against it, she let her eyes rest uneasily on the object. The fact that something so simple, so common, was the key to prevent being trapped in her most impressive feat yet was both humbling and shameful to her. She despised herself for making such an easy way for people to kill her sister, yet she despised herself all the more for letting people die. If she were to be honest with herself, she didn’t even know if her sister was even still inside that horrible beast. Still, the fear of losing her sister for good was a constant nag that lived in the back of Lilith’s mind. 

She glanced back and forth between the secret she had kept since the creation of the labyrinth and the picture of her and Eda before finally grasping the object and making her way to Willow’s room.

* * *

Willow awoke the next morning to the sound of trumpets echoing throughout the kingdom. She had fallen asleep against the cold wall of the labyrinth after she had spent the majority of the night worrying and gazing at the stars far above. How lucky the stars must be, do not have to worry about the fate of the mortals far below. Sighing, Willow forced herself to her feet and made her way to her chambers to ready herself for the day. Outside of her room stood an impatient Gus, who was one of only two friends and the son of one of the chefs. At her arrival, he perked up considerably.

“Shouldn’t you be down helping your father prepare for the Feeding feast?” Willow asked, stifling a yawn as she pushed her door open. To her surprise, her shoe hit against a soft, round object that lay in front of her door. 

“Well, I _should_ be, but my dad said I could have the morning off to hang out with you a bit,” Gus answered. He continued to go on, but Willow was no longer paying attention to him as she picked up the object at her feet. On it was a small note which simply stated:

_To Willow,_

_I am so sorry._

As short as the note was, the girl continued to read it over and over again as she processed who it was from and what the object meant. _This can’t be it,_ she thought. Gus had stopped talking to join in at staring at the object and the letter with her.

“Uh, Willow? You good there?” Gus asked cautiously. Willow looked up at him suddenly, her eyes wild with determination.

“Gus, what time is it?” she asked hurriedly, ignoring his question. The short boy quickly checked the watch he wore on his wrist before answering.

“It’s almost nine, why?”

“I need to go. Now,” Willow said, grabbing her object and stuffing the note in her pocket. She quickly dashed down the hallway, with Gus yelling after her. Ignoring the younger boy, Willow made a beeline to the gathering of soldiers in the courtyard. 

* * *

Princess Boscha has always considered herself to be the best of the best. Even now, as she stood in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by civilians and soldiers alike, she still saw herself to be above them all. When she had heard of the Owl Beast, of the creature that lived in the secret corridors in the kingdom of King Belos, she had set her mind to prove to both the people of her kingdom and this one that she was a force to be reckoned with. She would impress her people, King Belos, her parents…

More trumpets sounded out as the king made his grand entrance. He rarely let himself be outside surrounded by his people, though today was something special. He would personally send off Boscha before she would be led by Kikimora, Lilith, and a small squadron of carefully selected guards to the entrance of the labyrinth. 

Taking her place next to King Belos, Boscha held her head up high as Kikimora announced to the people of her vow to slay the Owl Beast. They all gasped and gawked in wonder at this, both for her bravery and her bold proposition. Boscha let herself bask in their awe of her before glancing over to the king. His eyes were focused on his chief engineer next to him, who was accompanied by a smaller figure beside her. Both of them wore black, which was an offly poor choice of colour, if you asked Boscha. The older woman fidgeted ever so slightly with her dress, and her eyes stared off into the distance. 

Kikimora’s speech shifted over from Boscha to the history of the labyrinth and its importance, and at the mention of its creators, Lilith and the younger girl, who Boscha guessed was her apprentice, stepped up next to the king. After a particularly boring speech by Lilith, King Belos finally cleared his throat to address his people.

“While each Feeding thus far has been one of cleansing and ridding the world of evil people, today will be a Feeding of ridding the world of a monster that should’ve never existed,” he began. His powerful voice boomed across the courtyard. “Today is not a Feeding of progression, but one of reversal. We will forever be in Princess Boscha’s debt for the deed she promises to accomplish today and for what it will do for our kingdom.”

Boscha puffed out her chest and waved curtly at the crowd as they cheered, keeping an eye on the king and the people surrounding him. As he spoke, she had seen Lilith clench her fists tighter around the fabric of her dress whenever he mentioned the Owl Beast. Why she did that escaped Boscha, but she found she could care less about the engineer at that moment.

The crowd of people slowly began to be dispersed by King Belos’ guards as Kikimora and Lilith went over to the squadron that would escort Boscha. As they collected themselves, the princess made sure to double check all of her supplies, which included a small stash of food and water, a medical kit, and her sword Aegus, which was strapped tightly to her belt. She had sharpened it last night while she had mentally gone over all of her training. All of her life had led up to this moment. This was it.

As she planned her trek and fight against the beast, she heard slow and heavy yet deliberate footsteps approach behind her. She turned around quickly, surprised to see none other than King Belos himself. She quickly bowed before him.

“There is no need for that, your highness,” he said, his charismatic voice flowing beautifully. Boscha rose and looked up at him. His golden mask hid his face from her, and she found herself wondering what other secrets he held along with his appearance

“I came simply to wish you luck on your quest,” he continued. “The labyrinth, while my pride and glory, also hides secrets not even I know. I advise you to be careful.” Boscha opened her mouth to reply, to tell him she didn’t need luck, that she was strong enough on her own, but he had already turned around and retreated to his castle, to hide away and watch the world from afar once again.

While slightly confused by his words, she decided she wouldn’t waste her time to ponder on them; her mother had always told her that worrying too much would cause her to get wrinkles on her face, and no one liked wrinkles. While Boscha had been slightly dubious of the lesson, she decided it was for the best if she avoided worrying either way.

Just as she started to head over to the group that would send her off to the labyrinth, a door burst open, and a young woman, whom Boscha guessed was around the same age as her, ran out in a panic. She was short with glasses that wobbled on her nose and short, dark hair that curled around her face. In her hand was what Boscha guessed was a ball of yarn.

The girl looked around in a frenzy before her eyes finally landed on the princess. Making a beeline towards Boscha, the girl ran towards her, ignoring the confused looks from the remaining townsfolk and the group. Lilith’s apprentice called out to the girl, but her calls went unacknowledged. Once the girl made it up to Boscha, she promptly grabbed her hand and looked her in the eye, gasping for breath. Boscha tried to pull away her hand, but the girl's grip was too strong. Guards from the squadron started to make their way towards her, but they were held back by both Lilith and Amity, who seemed to know what the girl’s intentions were. Boscha, however, was having none of it.

“Who do you think you are? Do you even know who I am?” Boscha said, not even trying to hide the disgust in her voice. The girl just hung on to her arm though, ignoring her words.

“Did you hear what I said? Hello? Do _not_ ignore me! I am Princess Boscha of-”

“Listen, I know who you are,” the girl said through gritted teeth. Boscha was taken aback by the girl’s tone. No one had ever dared speak to her like that, not even other royalty.

“You’re a princess, but you’re also incredibly stupid if you think you can just waltz into the labyrinth, slay the beast and make your way back out without a problem. You’re going to need help.” The short-haired girl pressed the ball of yarn into Boscha’s hand. “Take this. Use the yarn to leave a trail to guide you back to the entrance of the labyrinth.” With that, the girl stepped away and started to make her way back to the castle.

“Wait!” Boscha called after her to her own surprise. She jogged forward and grabbed the girl’s hand with her own. The girl looked back, her eyebrows raised above the frames of her glasses.

“What is your name? Why are you doing this?” Boscha asked desperately. This girl treated her so differently from anyone else in her life. She was doing this for her, not because she felt entitled to since Boscha was royalty, but because she… _cared._ She didn’t even know Boscha, but she cared about her. This was kindness Boscha had never seen or heard before, and it confused her.

The girl simply smiled, a tired smile that spoke so much more than words could. It was sweet, and for the first time, Boscha felt a bit of warmth in her chest.

“My name is Willow,” the girl answered. _Willow._ It matched her.

“Promise me you’ll use the yarn, okay? I need you to promise. You won’t be able to escape without it,” she continued, her voice softer than before, but still filled with the same finality. Boscha nodded absently, not knowing what else to do.

“I promise,” she said quietly, her eyes locked with the other girl’s. Only then did it occur to her that she was still holding the girl’s hand in her own, and she quickly let go, feeling her cheeks start to heat up. 

Willow smiled once again, watching as Boscha made her way over the squadron standing with Lilith and Kikimora. Amity walked over to Willow to watch as Boscha left with the group. Gazing at Willow, Amity saw that the shorter girl was shaking ever so slightly, and that she was tapping her fingers nervously against her thighs. She grasped her best friend’s hand, and they watched in silence as the group disappeared around the outside of the castle walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for not updating this in so long. School suddenly got chaotic, and I had some other personal stuff to take care of. I had writer's block, artist's block, literally everything block for weeks as well. Hopefully I will be able to get the other chapters out soon, but I hope you guys can forgive me for now since I believe this is the longest chapter yet. Again, I'm sorry for being gone for so long. This is my first time writing a fanfic, and it's a little hard to balance with everything else going on.  
> Please take care of yourself and stay safe <3


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